may appear as rough, red, or reddish-brown spots on the palm of the hands and bottoms of the feet. However, rashes with a different appearance may occur on other parts of the body. Sometimes they resemble rashes caused by other diseases. may be so faint they are hard to notice.
The incubation period for primary syphilis is 14 to 21 days. Symptoms of primary syphilis are: Small, painless open sore or ulcer (called a chancre) on the genitals, mouth, skin, or rectum that heals by itself in 3 to 6 weeks. Enlarged lymph nodes in the area of the sore.
For the most part, a syphilis rash appears as pale, red spots on your chest, back, arms, legs, palms, and soles of your feet. The patches are symmetrical and tend to be non-itchy. The infection spreads through contact with the rash or sores, making the secondary stage of syphilis very contagious.
In the first stage of syphilis, a small, smooth sore develops on your genitals, mouth or lips. It may resemble a pimple and be so small and harmless that you don't even notice. This sore goes away on its own in about six weeks. In the second stage of syphilis, a rough, red or brown rash develops.
While syphilis and herpes are completely different STIs, they do share one significant thing: they are both easy to miss. Both STDs can present a few noticeable symptoms or symptoms that are easy to mistake for other skin conditions. This is partly why they spread so easily among sexual partners.
What does a syphilis sore (chancre) look like? When this ulcer first appears, it will look like a small pimple or area of swelling. The skin then breaks down and becomes a raised open sore. This is when Treponema pallidum enters through your skin into your body.
Typically, the first visible sign of syphilis is a small, painless sore (doctors call it a “chancre”) on the skin (you may develop several sores). It normally appears at the spot where the bacteria entered your body. The sore won't hurt, and it may be hidden inside your rectum or vagina.
Secondary stage
During secondary syphilis, a person is highly contagious. A rash appears 2 to 12 weeks after the chancre develops and sometimes before it heals.
Other symptoms can include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, wart like lesions, condyloma lata, may develop in warm moist areas, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue or feeling very tired.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that has been around for centuries, but cases are increasing: In 2020, there were more than 130,000 new cases in the United States. After syphilis is contracted, it goes through four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary.
The sores usually last about 3 to 6 weeks and then go away on their own with or without treatment. But if you don't get treated, you'll still have syphilis, even if the sores are gone. Taking medicine is the only way to cure syphilis.
Syphilis is spread (transmitted) through close skin-to-skin contact. You can catch syphilis by having unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex with anyone who is in the first 2 stages of the infection. Syphilis is highly contagious when the sore or rash is present.
A single injection of long-acting Benzathine penicillin G can cure the early stages of syphilis. This includes primary, secondary, or early latent syphilis. CDC recommends three doses of long-acting Benzathine penicillin G at weekly intervals for late latent syphilis or latent syphilis of unknown duration.
Many people who have syphilis don't know it. You can have syphilis even if you don't notice any symptoms. The first symptom is a painless, round, and red sore that can appear anywhere you've had sex. You can pass syphilis to others without knowing it.
A syphilis rash doesn't usually itch. People may mistake a syphilis rash for psoriasis, eczema or pityriasis rosea if they don't realize they have syphilis. While the rash often appears on the hands or feet, it can also appear on the torso, trunk or extremities.
Sores are usually (but not always) firm, round, and painless. Because the sore is painless, you may not notice it. The sore usually lasts 3 to 6 weeks and heals regardless of whether you receive treatment. Even after the sore goes away, you must still receive treatment.
Primary syphilitic chancres are usually firm, round, small, and painless, and develop at the spot where the T. pallidum bacteria enter the body. The chancre lasts 1 to 5 weeks, and it heals without treatment. However, if adequate treatment is not administered, the infection progresses to the secondary stage.
Syphilitic chancres and mucous patches usually are painless, unless they become secondarily infected. Both of these lesions are highly infectious. The chancre begins as a round papule that erodes into a painless ulcer with a smooth grayish surface (see Figure 13-4). Size can range from a few millimeters to 2 to 3 cm.
The signs and symptoms of secondary syphilis will resolve with or without treatment. People who are left untreated at this stage will go into the latent stage of infection, which may put them at risk of serious complications.
Without treatment you will still have syphilis for 20 years or more even though you will not have any signs or symptoms. People with latent syphilis may sometimes have symptoms (flare-ups) like skin rash, fever, a sore throat, swollen glands or feeling weak and tired.
Summary. Syphilis is the seventh most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States in terms of new infections.
Syphilis stays in your body if it is not treated. It can damage your heart, brain, eyes, and other organs. This damage may not show up for many years and could kill you.
Shepherd says most people notice syphilis symptoms in the first or second stages of the disease, although it's not uncommon for people to not realize their symptoms are caused by syphilis.
If it's not treated, syphilis can cause serious and potentially life-threatening problems including: heart problems like angina, aortic aneurysm and heart failure. brain problems like fits (seizures), memory problems, personality changes and dementia.